Punjab govt urged to improve connectivity to Amritsar airport by providing bus service

Aviation activists and representatives of the Punjabi diaspora have accused the state government of neglecting Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport in Amritsar and favouring services at the Delhi airport. FlyAmritsar Initiative, an advocacy group working to enhance air connectivity to Amritsar, has voiced serious concern over what it described was discriminatory attitude towards Amritsar airport.

The activists highlighted that while the Punjab Government had previously launched a Volvo luxury bus service from various cities in Punjab to Delhi airport, no such service had been provided for Amritsar airport, despite it catering to more than 10,000 passengers daily (30 lakh annually), including a large chunk of the Punjabi diaspora. Recently, the state government even set up a help desk at Delhi airport with three employees and two vehicles deployed to assist travellers, yet no comparable facilities exist at Amritsar airport.

“It is disheartening that Amritsar remains the only international airport in India where the state government has not arranged a bus service. This neglect is not only a disservice to Amritsar but to the entire state of Punjab. The government does not need to take permission from anyone to run buses from airport to the city as well as to the different towns of Punjab; they can do it at their own level,” said Sameep Singh Gumtala and Anantdeep Singh Dhillon in a joint statement.

“The Punjab Government should take immediate action and improve connectivity to Amritsar through bus service and by setting up a help desk at the airport. This would allow passengers to reach their homes in a more affordable manner and encourage more flights to Amritsar. Additionally, tourists would find it easier to visit key sites such as Darbar Sahib, Durgiana Temple, Wagah border and other attractions from the airport,” stated Gumtala.

Yogesh Kamra, Convener, Fly Amritsar Initiative, said it has been observed that whenever a new flight is launched, there is rush among politicians and ministers in the state government to gain political mileage. “The government and leaders often blame the Central Government for lack of flight operations from the airport, but the state government does not take any action like providing bus service or other facilities to the airport, though the matter falls under the purview of the Punjab government,” he said.

Amritsar airport handles an average of 65 to 70 domestic and international daily flights. These flights connect Amritsar with about 10 Indian and nine foreign airports including London, Birmingham, Milan Malpensa, Rome, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Doha, Sharjah and Dubai.